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THE SMILING SESSIONS

THE BEGINNING

The Smiling Sessions is a participatory singing project for the elderly, devised by Shapeshifter Productions in 2011. The original team consisted of three talented musicians, Pete Baikie, Alison Jones and Dick Smith, who made weekly visits to residential sheltered housing schemes and care homes.

Originally funded by The Big Lottery – and being voted into the finals of The National Lottery competition-the sessions evolved into regular gatherings for local residents of Waltham Forest, who started to ask for their favourite songs to be played as memories and stories emerged. This resulted in the team developing a large-print songbook and recodring a CD for the residents to use after the project had finished. Six years later, Book Two with CD 2 is about to be released and a third not far away!
The Smiling team encourage song, laughter, friendship and story-tellingthat revive and warm the hearts of an isolated part of society that badly needs support, acknowledgement and inclusion.

THE FUTURE

Our partnership with NELFT NHS Redbridge was extremely positive, delivering eight singing sessions at a community hall in Redbridge for independent clients who suffered from Mental Health issues. We hope to be in Redbridge again in 2017, working with Sanctuary Care Homes. Our two year partnership with Ascham Homes in Waltham Forest was diverted back to the council and came to a close in February 2016, but will happily be re-opening in 2017.
The project has shown some significant changes in the internal culture of the residents at some of the schemes, encouraging tenants to use the communal sitting room, be more tolerant and to socialise more with one another. Through our collaboration with George Mason Lodge, residential care home we have been able to reach more people and develop a long lasting relationship that has positively impacted on their quality of life. Our fundraising for 2016-early 2017 has not only attracted support from Arts Council England for a fourth consecutive year, but from a new partner, Genesis Housing, which takes us into the London Boroughs of Newham and Tower Hamlets to meet more amazing residents who love to sing and share stories. Our fund-raising is an on-going necessity, so that we may continue growing and developing our work with new and established partners.

BOOK A SESSION

If you would like us to visit your residential care home or Social Housing Scheme please contact us in the following link.

WHY SUPPORT US?

Thank you to our generous donors and supporters as we continue to raise funds throughout 2016, which allows us to deliver over 72 sessions annually, reaching many more people and partners for the future!

Each year we need your help and support so that we can reach even more people. All donations are directed towards improving this project by either delivering more sessions or by breaking the barriers to make our sessions easily accessible and inclusive. It’s scientifically proven that music activities can significantly influence not only our emotional state, confidence and social skills but also cognitive abilities in cases of mental health. We are working tirelessly with other organisations, developing partnerships to impact the lives of the most vulnerable members of our community.

Please support us by making a contribution that will touch the hearts and souls of elderly people in our local community.

Shapeshifter Productions currently receives very little core funding and so relies on fundraising and donations to support our work.
You can help us buying our “The Smiling Sessions CD” through Paypal, LocalGiving or sending us a cheque. The proceeds will go towards making more Smiling Sessions. More info HERE.

Learn more about how to get involved with Shapeshifter Productions HERE

THE SMILING SESSIONS EVENTS

During the last six years, the project has grown from strength to strength, attracting new partners who recognise the value of our work. We managed to establish long term relationships with esteemed organisations so that the residents (and carers) really benefited from the singing and inclusion which spills into their daily routine and sense of well-being.

Chadwell House

| The Smiling Sessions

Holmcroft House

| The Smiling Sessions

Summer Smiling Sessions

| The Smiling Sessions

Smiling Barbecue

| The Smiling Sessions

Chadacre Court

| The Smiling Sessions

Lawrence Hall

| The Smiling Sessions

THE SMILING SESSIONS TEAM

Finally, our banjo player and backing vocalist, Dick Smith, left the team in July, after six years of dedication to this worthy project. We would like to thank him for his great musical contribution and many hours of being part of making people happy. His great musicianship is already missed by many of our residents. Meanwhile, Pete and Alison are training up new recruits! We would like to welcome Rebecca Thorn on accordion and Adam Scott on guitar as new trainees.

ALISON JONES - Violin/Vocals

Alison is a musician, actress and composer.

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Her extensive work includes performing internationally for 2 years as featured solo violinist with Irish dance spectacular Spirit of the Dance and 7 years with The Well Oiled Sisters, whose popular schedule included touring with Morrissey;

Alison works freelance for various groups, and founded her charity Shapeshifter Productions in 2007,which subsequently produced and performed her outdoor spectacular WILDFIRE! at St Andrews, Homecoming Scotland 2009.

As Artistic Director, Alison is focussed on promoting the aims of her charity, whose work has created The Smiling Sessions.

PETER BAIKIE - Guitar/Vocals

Scottish comedian and composer

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Pete Baikie is most famous for appearing in the British comedy sketch-show Absolutely. He composed the theme music, wrote the comedy songs, and created several of the musical comedy characters.

As a TV composer, his credits include music for Shooting Stars, It’s Only TV… But I Like It andThe Big Fat Quiz of the Year.Pete has won 4 Welsh BAFTAS for ITV’s Barry Welsh is Coming and Hugh Pugh’s History of Wales He also produced Pub Quiz, The Morwenna Banks Show and numerous editions of The Jack Docherty Show for C5, besides being bandleader. He was co-host of Saturday Night Jack for Radio 2 in 2006.

Pete has recently become a voluntary counsellor with Ealing Abbey and Camden bereavement services. He loves playing for The Smiling Sessions!

REBECCA THORN & ADAM SCOTT

Our new members of The Smiling Team.

Read BIO...

Bio

CONTACT INFO

If you would like us to visit your residential care home or Social Housing Scheme please please fill the following form.

Studio Office The Quaker Meeting House 1a Jewel Road, London, E17 4QU

+44 20 7018 2927

info@shapeshifter-productions.com

BOOK A SESSION

Our Partners:

ABOUT US

Shapeshifter Productions is a not for profit arts organisation, based in London Borough Waltham Forest. Our aim is to take high quality art to the community, encouraging people to not only support performances, but to roll their sleeves up and get involved, no matter what their age!